


Shooting for Glory

by DepressedTotoro



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:22:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23161663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DepressedTotoro/pseuds/DepressedTotoro
Summary: A fanfic I'm about a weird couple I ship in Overwatch. I think they share a lot of similarities and parallels. I understand the age gap thing is a little strange, but that doesn't stop the fandom from shipping D.Va/76. I'm trying to take great care not to make anything come off as creepy.
Relationships: Hana "D.Va" Song/Reinhardt Wilhelm
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

Hana Song looked over the destroyed town. That’s all she could do anymore, after having fought off the omnic threat yesterday. What used to be a bustling, booming city, full of life, was just another thick crater in the ground. Sure, maybe she had “won” the fight, but at what cost? The city was ruined, and who knows how many people were able to evacuate in time? Hana trembled for a moment, not even wanting to think about the list of casualties. The harsh reality of the world is that the good guys don’t always show up at the right time, if at all. 

Even despite her work, Hana felt entirely defeated, and for a moment, was so close to giving up

She had joined MEKA not only because she was drafted, but because of a genuine desire to use her gaming prowess to save people. What was the point of trying, if it seemed like she would constantly fail over and over? Hana felt entirely defeated, and hung her head in shame. It was at that moment, she heard a woman’s voice from behind her.

“Cheers love, the calvary’s here!”

It was Overwatch, and they had come to provide support and relief. Lena “Tracer” Oxton began to warp between tight nooks and crannies to find anyone still there, Winston was gathering statistical data about the fight, so he could make a status report of survivors and casualties. Dr. Angela “Mercy” Ziegler was treating any people she did find, while Genji Shimada quickly scouted the area, offering food and water where he could. Lastly, Reinhardt Wilhelm, and  
his protégé, Brigitte Lindholm were clearing through rubble freeing any trapped people. 

Maybe it was because she was in civilian clothing, in comparison to her colorful pilot suit and her “war paint” makeup, but it seems that no one there had recognized her. Falling to her knees, all Hana could do was watch from afar. Once the Overwatch team had done their work, they began to leave, one by one, a few of them even walking past her. As far as she had known, she was been mistaken for a victim. Maybe she was one, in a way. 

Coincidentally, as Reinhardt had walked past her, Hana muttered to herself, “The destruction caused by the omnics here... it reminds me of home..”

Realizing what she had just said, she had turned around to see the man, larger than life, with a pensive look on his face. He sighed, gently putting his hand on her shoulder, and said,

“Things can be destroyed, but as long as the people are strong, they can always be rebuilt. Remember that…”

The two stared at each other, but before the giant could realize that this young lady was the same as the one he would catch streams of, Brigette called for him, and 

“Hey Reinhardt, are you coming or not? At this rate, maybe dad might have to build you some new legs too!”, The woman said, in a facetious manner.As he ran to catch up with the rest of the team, he had dropped his Overwatch medal. 

Finding the strength and motivation to get back up, Hana picked up the medal, gazing deeply at it. 

“So your name is Reinhardt…”, Hana whispered to herself, as she clutched the medal to her chest.

“As long as the people are strong…”, she muttered under her breath.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had been months since Hana and Reinhardt had last met. Her job is tough, and comes at the expense of her health, but Hana is determined to prove she's strong.

It had been a couple of months since the two met on that dilapidated district. Interested, Hana dug up whatever public files were on Reinhardt. Embarrassingly for her, her research came to a halt where her heart began to beat faster, and she would get stuck in daydreams. She had tried her best to tune it all out, but to no avail. Deep down, she was interested in him, and wanted to see him again, perhaps meeting at a better place than a destroyed city. Hana’s solution was to drown herself even more into her duties as a soldier, but she still had other obligations…

“I cannot believe I let you talk me into going to one of those “fancy” parties you yearn over so much.” Hana said, as the two stepped out of the limousine. 

Taking a step out of the limo and a gander at the crowd, Hana turned around. “Is it too late to go back and order takeout?”, she said. Unfortunately for her, Daehyun wasn’t convinced, and stuck to his guns.  
“Hey, you’re the one that trashed my bike, and there’s also that time I saved your skin. You owe me, Hana.”

Hana rolled her eyes and scoffed. “Fine, I’ll pay for everything, but don’t take that as an open invitation to buy the most pricey stuff on the menu.”

That fell on deaf ears, because as soon the two sat at their table, Daehyun was already eying the best-looking food. 

Bored, Hana scanned the room. A few idols, politicians, and movie stars were in sight, but she could care less about all of that. As far as she was concerned, she was roped into this, and the quicker she wrapped it up, the quicker she could get back to work. Besides, her birthday was last week, and none of them showed up.  
The second she found Daehyun looking at his menu, was exactly when she took the opportunity to reach into her purse, grab her repair kit and begin recalibrating her microphone. 

Unfortunately, Daehyun noticed Hana’s tinkering. “Are you serious? Hana, you promised you’d take it easy for once! That means no working off the clock. Besides, you look really tired”

Hana began to become defensive. “What if an emergency happens, and I’m unable to react within time? What if an Omnic attacks us here and now? What if-”

Daehyun sighed. “Hana, calm down. Ever since we were kids, you’ve always been pushing yourself way too hard. If you keep overworking yourself, you’re going to burn out. All stars do. You’re my friend, and I can’t lose you again““Again?”

“When you were in the hospital, you flatlined. Hana, you died on that table.. I thought I lost my friend forever, all right?Tears began to roll down his face, “I can’t… I just can’t”

With tired eyes, and an especially breathy tone, Hana said, “If it was to save everyone, would me dying be so bad?”  
As Daehyun continued his plea, Hana felt herself nodding off, not because of his rant, but because she had been neglecting her sleep in favor of running tests and checkups. 

Fortunately, just as Hana shut her eyes, her phone began to ring. “Oh, would you look at that? It’s from MEKA. I have to go.” Hana said, almost glad she could escape.

Daehyun reached out, trying to grab her, “No Hana, don’t leave!” But, it was too late. She was gone.

As everyone in the restaurant stared at Daehyun, his head was hung low, as he vocally questioned, "Who’s going to pay the bill?”

Traveling to HQ with her mech, she arrived in impeccable time.  
All she knew was that she had been called in for a meeting. Among the people there, were various men and women, all in suits. Hana recognized a few of them as her managers, agents, and her PR staff.

“Is there something wrong? I haven’t heard from you guys in a while.”, Hana asked. 

All of the suits looked at one another, until the man in the middle turned to the young woman and spoke up.

“Quite the opposite, Miss Song. Your performance is as spectacular as usual, though we need to talk about some upcoming changes with your job.

MEKA has some of the best pilots in the world. However, there’s still a large skill gap between you, and the others. They’re all out recovering, and we don’t know how long that will last. Look, we do understand how stressful the pressure of defending the entire country is, and until now, we thought that was the only choice we’ve had going forward.”

She knew they were lying about understanding her burden, and were trying to “console” her. 

“‘Until now?’ What does that mean?” Hana quickly chimed in.

Well, we’ve been in talks with Overwatch. As such, we’re negotiating a partnership with them. As such, we’d like you to attend first thing tomorrow, around 8PM.”

Upset and the sudden revelation, Hana asked, “Wait, why am I only learning about this now?”

The suits slowly, and calmly responded, “With no due offense, Miss Song. You’re a soldier, and a young one at that. We thought it would be more appropriate if you’ve left the negotiations and the planning of events to the adults.”

Deep down, Hana was seething with anger. One thing that she truly abhorred, was how everyone around her talked down to her like a child. She thought that turning 20 would change things, but it didn’t. Yes, she knew she was just a propaganda tool, but for the sake of defending Korea, she swallowed her pride, and dealt with it. 

One of the suits laid out her mission, “All you need to do is be a pretty face, shake some hands, sign some autographs and smile for the cameras. Understood?“

“Yes, I understand. I’ll be there.” Hana said, almost sounding like a robot. 

As she walked out of the room, she took out Reinhardt’s medal she found months ago. Clutching on it, she asked for strength under her breath. Hana kept that medal with her at all times. After all, as long as she held on to it, she would have a reason to see him again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm a perfectionist, so I wrote multiple drafts of how I wanted this chapter to go, but I've settled on this. Thank you all for being so patient, and reading my story. It means so much to me!

The PR events, although cumbersome, were a necessary evil for Hana Song. Doing her part to relieve tension in her country was a part of her work, and received her utmost focus. The downside, was that she often took the worries and fears of the people away, but internalized it on herself. This current panel was no different. Trying to cool her nerves, she assured herself that the chance of Reinhardt showing up were reasonably low. After all, he’s probably too old and too busy to appear, she rationalized. Hana couldn’t tell you the reason why she took such a liking to Reinhardt. Perhaps she was guilty of romanticizing him in her head but, this larger-than-life man, straight out of a folk tale, came to her when she needed someone the most, and that’s all that mattered to her. Finishing up her makeup, she made her way out her dressing room, ready to face the crowd.

Before she could step out, her friend Daehyun asked to talk to her. He noted her behavior previously, and tried to talk her out of this meet if she wasn't up to it. 

"I care about you, Hana. You haven’t been sleeping much, and you keep saying worrying things. No one’s going to hold it against you if you requested a break. This isn’t healthy. 

She quickly became defensive. “I cant stop, Daehyun. I just can't. This is too important to Korea.” 

Daehyun looked scared. “Hana please, you’re worrying me. Let me talk to Captain Myung for you. You can just call in sick for tonight. You need a vacation, and some therapy. This is a big event.” 

Realizing all too late what she had just said, she apologized, and ran off. Behind her, were Daehyun’s screams, fading away the farther she got from him. 

The people she did run into were Winston, Tracer, and Torbjörn. At the panel, the three agents discussed using the reactor energy that MEKA has in supply, in conjunction with their own energy, could produce a shield big and strong enough to protect South Korea from ambush attacks, man and omnic alike. Hana was pleasantly intrigued. If what they were saying was true, she wouldn’t have to overwork so much. The possibility of that both relieved and worried Hana.

Following the panel was a questionnaire. Most of the questions were generic, but there happened to be two that stuck out the most. Someone in the crowd asked Hana if she had any plans to join Overwatch. 

“Thank you for asking! While I’m not opposed to a team-up down the line, I’m grateful to have so much support here. Korea is my home, and I’m proud to represent you all. I don’t plan on letting you down.”

Winston chuckled, “Well, we’re always open to new recruits. With your help, we wouldn’t have to go through a repeat of that disaster that happened a few months ago?”

Even though Winston wasn’t trying to imply that it was her failing that resulted in the destroyed city, Hana took it extremely personally. His comment really got to her, and in a fit of rage, gave him the evil eye. The next question, was also directed toward her. A tall woman with auburn hair, asked Hana if she had any advice for aspiring heroes.

“Someone once told me that things can be rebuilt, as long as the people are strong. I like to remember that.” 

As Overwatch finished up panel, a closing party was about to follow. Unfortunately, for any D.Va fans, Hana was exhausted and made her way to retreat unseen. That was, until that woman from the crowd tapped Hana’s shoulder.

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to be a bother, but could I get an autograph for my friend, please?”

“Okay, anything for a fan!”, Hana exclaimed.

The woman paused in thought for a moment, “Strange, I feel like we’ve met before.”

Hana pulled out a pen, and began to sign one of the specialized prints she carried around for the event. Before her pen could strike the paper, she asked,  
“And to whom do I owe this honor to?”

“Just put ‘for my dear friend and godfather, Reinhardt’ please.” the woman said.

Hana’s froze for a moment. Now her interest was piqued.  
The woman introduced herself as Brigitte Lindholm, Torbjörn’s daughter. 

“We’re staying in Busan while my pappa runs a business trip for Overwatch here. Actually, today is his birthday, but he won’t come out of his room. He’s not usually down like this, and my pappa and I can’t get him to leave his room.”  
A light turned on in Hana’s head.  
“I could visit him if you’d like.”

“No, no, I couldn’t ask that of you.”  
Brigitte did her best to assure Hana everything was okay, but Hana was adamant, and nothing would deter her insistence. “Consider it a birthday gift!”  
Once Brigitte finally gave in, she gave Hana a copy of the card needed to get into the hotel room.

Outside of his room, she puffed up her chest, and let out a deep breath. Hana then quietly walked into Reinhardt’s room, pulled up a chair, and yelled “Happy birthday!”

But rather sadly, Reinhardt didn’t seem interested in anything. He sat, deep in thought.

“What’s wrong?”, the young woman said. Her question fell on deaf ears, as Reinhardt didn’t take notice of her.

Defeated, Hana decided it was time for another strategy: intimacy. She leaned on the colossal crusader, snuggling on him. Reinhardt tried his best to remain grumpy and unfazed, but he couldn’t continue be angry at all the sad pouting Hana did. Finally having enough, he let out a deep sigh, and began to speak.“Fine. If you must stay, I might as well explain myself. Once, in the year of snow, I’ve made a terrible mistake… Lives were ruined, and others were lost.” The old man grimaced, wincing in pain from the recollection of it all. “Lately, I’ve been seeing visages of the armor my late mentor wore from that same battle. Was it a ghost of the past, or perhaps I’m finally losing my mind at my old age? I took an oath as a Crusader. But sometimes, I wonder what would have happened if I was either a better person, or even a weaker one…”

Hana clasped his giant hand between hers. She understood how Reinhardt felt, and how no matter how much one resolves to protect everyone, how it doesn’t always work out that way.

“I know just how hard it can be dealing with failures, letting people down.”, Hana said as she tried to fight back her tears.

“In real life, we don’t get continues, and sometimes we fail miserably. Even a pro like me. However, our mistakes make us who we are. And in both of our cases, those set of coincidences have made us both heroes. Can I ask a favor of you? You’ve said you’ve taken an oath before, but do you have it in you to make another promise? Can you promise me that you’ll watch my back, if I watch yours? Hana said, extending her hand.”

Reinhardt obliged the woman, shaking her hand aggressively, and very likely dislocating her shoulder. 

Once the atmosphere in the room cooled off, Hana reached into her pocket to pull out the previously missing medal, ready to return it to its rightful owner.  
“Here, I think you’ve dropped this a while back. I don’t deserve this.”

Her face became scrunched up, as she tried, and those tears she tried to hold back earlier, came pouring out tenfold.

“It was my fault. I’m the reason people died in that battle. I let everyone down. I should have done more, but I wasn’t strong enough. I’m not strong at all! I’m sorry.”

Before she could react, Reinhardt pulled her into his chest, and his arms folder behind her. The room was quiet, but even through the silence, he affirmed that he understood how she felt. Then, he said:

“First of all, you’ve done nothing wrong. The harsh reality of being a soldier, is that you cannot save everyone, though that doesn’t stop us from trying. You don’t need my approval, and have proved time and time again that you’re courageous and strong. That brings me to my final point. I left that medal for you. The one that actually belongs to me is… in a safe place, with a friend.  
You don’t need my approval, and you don’t need to apologize.”

Once Hana finally calmed down, she was drowsy and out of energy. 

Very softly, and very sadly she said, “I’m sorry I ruined your birthday.”

However, Reinhardt was already back to being his usual jovial self. 

“Hahaha! Nonsense, I’ve had enough birthdays as it is! Looks like we’re both already acting on our promise. I’ll tell you what, let’s start over tomorrow, okay?

“Can I stay with you tonight? I can sleep on the floor If it’s all right with you.” She felt extremely guilty about the situation.

With a heartfelt smile on his face, he said “Of course you can. Honor wouldn’t allow me to say otherwise. He lifted Hana, and plopped her on his bed.”

Before she shut her eyes, the woman asked for one last favor.”Could you please call me Hana? D.Va isn’t the real me.”

Before he turned out the light, and slept on the floor, Reinhardt said,

“Of course, Miss Hana.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting so long! The reason this chapter took so long was because my personal life was (is) a mess. In addition, I wrote a full draft of chapter 4, over 1,000 words, but I scrapped that one. Furthermore, I changed the title again. I like this name much better, as the others were always working titles. I'm a bit worried this isn't my best chapter, so I'm hoping to shake things up soon enough. Thank you.

Deep in slumber, Hana awoke to find herself at a party. With her exceptionally busy life, the days must have seemed to blend in together. She was unable to remember the details 

She sat down, spectating the dancers, eavesdropping on conversations, and gauging the atmosphere. She had no actual plans to socialize, at least until he showed up.

“Excuse me, but would you mind humoring this old man’s request for a dance, please?”  
A man extended his arm out, in front of an exasperated Hana. It was Reinhardt, and internally, she began to freak out. Why was he here? Where did he come from? Was this intentional? 

Either way with the cameras and the spotlight fixed on her, she had no choice but to take up the offer. That, or to risk looking uncouth on international TV. But, whether or not she wanted to admit it, a part of her was overjoyed to see him again. She knew her response would be seen by thousands on television, so with the most energetic voice she could put on, she exclaimed:

“Of course! Anything for a fan!” 

It was as if they were the only two on the dance floor. The spectators, and other dancers seemed to fade away. Contrary to the assumptions one might make about his size, his moves were extremely graceful, and were befitting of the years of experience under his belt. Hana was turning red, as Reinhardt smirked at her. He definitely knew what he was doing. However, Hana’s competitive attitude wouldn’t allow her to be upstaged by anyone. The choreography she had done for commercials and movies had come in handy, as she was able to keep up with Reinhardt’s pace, even overtaking him for a spell. 

Unfortunately for her, Reinhardt enjoyed a fight, and the dance soon became a contest of who could one-up the other. The people looking on were confused, and their interest in the couple had subsided quickly. With a sudden change in expression, Reinhardt began to move closer to her, as he pushed her out of the way of an incoming laser blast. Hana could only look on in horror as Reinhardt took the blast head-on, falling on the floor.

She tried to stop the bleeding, but all of her attempts were in vain. Reinhardt’s life was nearing its end, his dying words, “You… promised…” as the light in his eye finally went out. The once-crowded dance floor, became yet another crater of destruction, as the Gwishin directed their rampage to the rest of Korea. 

She tried to call her mecha in, but nothing happened. Still determined to do something, Hana opted to run to the MEKA base on foot, halting only once she saw a Jumbotron, highlighting what she had already feared. The MEKA base had been ambushed before anyone could escape. MEKA pilots Jae-eun “Casino” Kwon, Yuna “D.Mon” Lee, Kyung-soo “King” Hann, Seunghwa “Overlord” Shi, and mechanic Daehyun Park were all reported to have died in the surprise attack. 

Ultimately, she was unable to save her friends, family, and everyone that she cared about. Adding further salt into the wound, Overwatch showed up again, successfully fending off the Gwishin. Brigitte came to check for survivors, before running into Hana. In that short amount of time, she had discovered Reinhardt’s lifeless corpse on the scene. Consumed with grief, the squire yelled at Hana, “Why did you let him die? You promised!”

Her greatest fear had came true: she failed everyone. She failed Reinhardt, she failed her teammates, and most of all, she failed Korea.

GAME OVER  
——————————

The utter shock woke Hana from her slumber, with terror all over her face. She had to have been asleep for a couple of hours at most. Once she realized that it was all a dream, she calmed down. Reinhardt was still very much alive, sleeping on the floor. Hana walked into the bathroom, washed her face, and prepared herself a bath. As much as she didn’t want to admit it to herself, she was afraid. Her chest sank when she remembered the previous night. Regret washed over her because, not only did she make a promise, but Reinhardt was now involved in what she considered her personal business, making him a target. She finished her shower, put on her clothes, and was finally calm enough to return to sleep.

The next morning, Hana was awakened up by the smell of sausages and David Hasselhoff music booming loudly from a radio. She walked into the kitchen to find Reinhardt making breakfast. Looking behind him, he let out a wide, beaming smile. As it had turned out, Reinhardt wanted to surprise her with a big breakfast in bed, but when Hasselhoff came on, he couldn’t help himself but turn the volume up. She sat down at the table, which was spread out with food.

“All of this…. is for me?’ Hana was taken aback by the gesture, but the elderly man nodded his head.“As much as you can eat. Some of it was for Brigitte too. Such a shame she doesn’t like Currywurst! Hmph, more for us then!”

Calling it a big breakfast would be an understatement. Several plates were filled to the brim, and Hana wasn’t sure if this was for her, or if it was an excuse for Reinhardt to eat so much without a guilty conscience. Either way, the two ate, and contrary to her size, Hana ended up eating much more than Reinhardt could stomach. But rather than gloat about her victory, Hana wanted to talk about the previous day.

Hana toyed with her food. “Last night was really something, huh? We’ve said a lot of things…”

“I don’t regret any of it. I meant every word I said. When a crusader makes a vow, we keep it, Miss-“

“Hey now, there’s no need to be so formal with me. Just Hana is fine. After all, we’re friends, right?”

At first, Reinhardt was caught off guard. It was true he had been starstruck with Hana for a while, but he soon came around and accepted her friendship. “Why, yes, I suppose we are. I’m truly flattered, my friend.”

Pleased, Hana continued, “So, how long are you staying in Korea?”

It was a simple question, but Reinhardt hesitated. He did, however, ball his fist, quietly muttering, “I can’t sit by and let an impostor dishonor my friend.” under his breath.

Hana looked puzzled, and inquired about it, but Reinhardt kept his silence.

“If you don’t feel comfortable disclosing it with me, it’s okay. I bet it’s probably some top-secret Overwatch mission, right?”

He sighed, and put his hand on her shoulder. 

“When my mentor died, I was lost. That armor he wore, it’s special. He died a warrior’s death, and I’ve been seeing someone around here, wearing it. Almost as if they’re mocking me… Mocking him, and everything he stood for. I won’t leave Korea until this impostor is dealt with. 

Hana could see that the more he talked about it, the angrier he became. Remembering her nightmare, those intense feelings of regret she had earlier, subsided. She told herself that things wouldn’t end the same way, and that she’d protect her country, no matter what.

“If you need any help, I’ll always be here. We made a promise.”

It took a bit of convincing on her end, but once Reinhardt was assured of her conviction, he was able to relax, and the conversation lightened up.

the subject. I was hoping that once everything settled down, I’d focus on my studies full time, become a programmer, create my own games, have some fun, and maybe settle down with a special someone. A huge maybe on that last one.”

This seemed to get Reinhardt to resume talking. “I’m also a romantic at heart. Do you have a type, Hana?”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh, you know. Tall, handsome. One of those handsome older actor types. You know, you’re the first person to ask me about something outside of my career. No one cares much about Hana.” For a quick moment, she had a hurt look on her face.

Lightly sipping from his glass of beer, he: “Yesterday, you mentioned something about ‘the real you’, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head. I, and only if it’s all right with you, I would be honored to be able to get to know the ‘real’ Hana Song.”  
She started to become tense, biting her lip. “I’m not so sure you would. My life is far from interesting. In fact, my teammate Yuna says it’s a good thing I work so much, since don’t have much of a social life. I’m really nothing special.”

“Yet here you are, holding a conversation with me”, Reinhardt chuckled. “I have no interest in what other people think about you. I’m glad I got to see you.” 

This seemed to ease her worries. “In that case, I think it’s only fair to learn more about you. Don’t feel the need to hold back.” 

However, Hana had no idea what kind of beast she enabled by asking Reinhardt about himself. Once he began to go on about his life, and his adventures, he seldom stopped. A man of many words, but not as much modesty, he went on about his brushes with death, and the glory he’s amassed during his lifetime. Hana did her best to feign interest, but she could feel herself dozing off. However, as he began to describe the locale, she became invested. Having grown up during the Omnic crisis, she’s rarely been able to travel outside of South Korean borders. Sure, she could watch holo-vids and read Mei Ling-Zhou’s books, but it just wasn’t the same. Her eyes lit up, and witnessing her mood begin to shift, Reinhardt continued to talk about the places that he’s been to, constantly filling his glass with refills of beer, and concluding his story by talking about his most recent vacation spot, South Korea. 

“And don’t get me started on the time Brigitte and I, ‘technically’ slayed dragons!”

Amused but skeptical, Hana rolled her eyes “You really think you’re some kind of knight in shining armor, huh?”

“Of course I do. After all…”  
He walked up to the young woman, picked her up, and once he made eye contact with her, she was locked in his gaze. “…I’d slay any dragon, and fight any foe to protect my princess.”

He gave her a firm hug, taking care not to harm her, before he passed out. Hana checked her phone to see all the missed calls, texts, and worst of all, the amount of time she had wasted today. She gathered her things, left her phone number on a piece of paper, and made a dash back to the MEKA base.

She couldn’t believe it. She wasted an entire day, better suited to running mecha tests, talking to someone instead. Funnily enough, she didn’t mind it too much. It was fun talking with Reinhardt, and making another friend. For the first time in a while, she felt normal.

Hana managed to get back to the base in record time, albeit covered in sweat and breathing heavily. As she headed to the lounge, she saw Daehyun, and asked him:

“I’m sorry I took so long, what’s the emergency?”

Daehyun turned to her with the most tense look on his face,  
“This is a code red, Hana. You forgot to watch the monster movie marathon with me like you promised!“

She was not amused. Grabbing a can of Nano Cola, shook it up, and opened it in his face.

His face dripping with soda, Daehyun was humbled. “Okay, maybe I deserved that.”

Hana laughed at him, threw him a towel, and responded “Yeah, you did.”


	5. Chapter 5

Hana flew throughout Busan, finishing up her nightly patrol over the neon city. The memories of her failure playing back to back in her head. She tried to shake the thought, but it wasn’t easy. Before she could head back to base, she received a call. Brigitte had requested to meet up with her on the rooftop, away from the ever-watchful gazes of the public. Once she was sent the coordinates, they met up. 

“Thanks again for agreeing to meet up with me. I know you’re probably an exceptionally busy person.”  
“Don’t let my good looks fool you, I’m also a tired one.”, she joked. Brigitte pulled out a couple of drinks for the two, which Hana accepted. It had been a day since she last spent time with Reinhardt, who was busy sleeping off his hangover. 

“I appreciate you looking after Reinhardt when you didn’t have to. In some ways, he’s like a big kid.”

“It’s no problem, I love my fans. He’s my friend too.”

“You know, he’s taken a huge liking to you. To be a bit frank, I’m a little jealous.” You seem to have it all, fans, confidence, and it’s as if you’re everything I’m not. He never stops talking about how great you are. Not like me…I grew up listening to the stories about Reinhardt’s life. To me, he personified heroism, courage, justice, and honor, and I thought he was the greatest. For about as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a hero just like him and my father. When he first accepted my request to become his squire, I was so happy. I trained as hard as I could, just to prove myself, and move one step closer to that ideal image of a hero. And then you appeared one day. I’m sorry for bringing it up, sometimes I just wish I was a more confident hero.”

“You’re wrong. I’m no different from anybody else. That ‘perfect’ image is something conjured by my PR team. I make mistakes too. Every time I do take on the Gwishwin… there’s a chance I might not come back…”

Her body started to tremble, her breathing becoming labored. 

“You don’t look so good. Are you okay? I could call an ambulance if-”

“No, It’s fine… I’ll be fine.”

She took this as her cue to get going.

Hana calmed down after taking some deep breaths, and continued. “You get to travel the world, meet people, and you get to see your family… I’m sure he’s proud of you.

Her mech began to start up, as she entered the cockpit and revved up her engines.

“Hana, wait!”, But it was already too late, as Hana had taken off.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a figure emerged from the shadows.   
“Awww, that didn’t seem to go over well at all.”

Funnily enough, Brigitte seemed to recognize them.

“Great, what are YOU doing here?”, she barked.

\------------

Back at MEKA HQ, Hana seemed deeply troubled and unable to focus on her work.

Daehyun observed this her behavior, but she wouldn’t open up.”

“Come on Hana, we’ve been friends forever, you can trust me.” If his insisting wasn’t enough, he kept pouting at her until she gave in.

Defeated, she indulged. “Okay, okay, just don’t look at me like that. I need your advice.” 

“Not sure if I’m qualified to give you advice on celebrity life. Isn’t that supposed to be your forte?”

“Well, not exactly, and I can’t ask Yuna for help. She’d never let me live it down. The reason I’ve been absent as of late is because I met a guy. I really like him, but he’s only in Busan for a short period of time, and I might never be able to make a move if he leaves. I can’t leave Korea due to my work, and I want to ask him out but I’m scared. I’ve never been in a relationship before.”

He put his hand on her shoulder

“I’m here for you, and I think you should tell him how you feel. Ever since we were kids, you’ve always been driven, a risk-taker, fearless. I always admired that about you, even now. I know you’re able to do this, and if it doesn’t work out between you and him, then he’s the loser, because you’re one of the greatest people I know. I’ll run tests and look out for any Gwishwin for you.”

“Thanks, Dae, you’re the best!”

“Hey, it’s the least I could do, considering I pulled that prank on-“

Before he could finish, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and she was off. It took a bit of time for her to freshen up, but once she was ready, she headed off to find Reinhardt. She knocked on the hotel door, but no one responded. Disheartened, but not willing to give up, she used her key to open the door. Luckily, Reinhardt was sitting on his bed, lost in thought. He didn’t even notice Hana was there until she tapped him.

“Aha, look who it is! I had forgotten if Brigitte gave you a key to the room.”

“I came to check on you. I hope you’re feeling better.”

“Just a reverie, my friend,” he said as he poured himself a glass of water. I do appreciate your visit, but other than that, what brings you here today? Could I get you a glass of water?”

“Um, sure,” Hana paused for a moment. “Does Mrs. Wilhelm mind if I spend time with you?”

“I don’t have a spouse or a romantic partner, if that’s what you’re trying to ask.” Reinhardt lightly chuckled. “Now where is this coming from?”“Oh, you know. I was just thinking how in our line of work, any of us could die at any moment. Also, when you were drunk that night, you began to act weird.”

Reinhardt suddenly became very interested. “Weird, how?”

“To put it in your own words, ‘I’d slay any dragon, and fight any foe to protect my princess!’ Or something like that.” She said, giving her best impression of his deep, accented voice.

The embarrassment was written on his face “I did say that, didn’t I?”

Hana nodded her head. “No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong, It’s just that, well…” She hung her head down, “Reinhardt, be honest. If you had feelings for me, you’d tell me, right?” She breathed in deeply, letting out an exhaustive sigh. “Even before you arrived in Busan, I’ve been thinking about you a lot. Believe me, I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want anyone else to have you. My heart wouldn’t be able to bear the thought of you being with someone else. I don’t care if you’re older than me, or how sudden this all seems. The stress of trying to protect everyone is soul-crushing, but meeting you showed me that I’m not alone. I was never alone. You’re the first person to understand me. I’d like you to be my ‘Player 2’.” She motioned to pull something out of her pocket. “I got these tickets to Blizzard World, and I was wondering if you’d like to go with me? You know, ride some rides, win some prizes, maybe get to know each other a little better?”

The few minutes felt like hours for her, and the room’s silence was just as maddening. “I’m so sorry, this was stupid. Let’s start over and keep our relationship strictly business-oriented. Forget I said anything.”

As she got up, ready to leave, Reinhardt walked up to her and embraced her deeply., “I’d love to. I enjoy your company.” He planted a kiss on her forehead, and she lit up. “Would you be willing to spend the night with me again? I’d love to see your beautiful face when I wake up.”

“Oh, er, sure.”

Reinhardt insisted he carry her to his bed, much to Hana’s protesting. Once she was situated, he laid down next to her, before turning to her, saying:  
“You know, I don’t usually get nervous around women… I’d like you to be my princess, my queen, and my Hana.”

In that moment, the world stood still, save for the rain that began to crackle down the window.

She jumped into his arms for an embrace. The utter surprise caught him off guard, and in an ironic twist of fate, he had found himself pinned on the bed, under the young woman.

“I hope that you’ll always be there with me, through good or bad.”

she laughed, held his head in her hands, and kissed him deeply.


End file.
